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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23103898">Friends make better cuddle buddies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jinxxer/pseuds/Jinxxer'>Jinxxer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>King Falls AM (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Found Family, Sickfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:14:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23103898</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jinxxer/pseuds/Jinxxer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was bound to happen. Honestly, with the amount of stress they’d all been under for so long, it was shocking that one of them hadn’t succumbed sooner. Still, Ben hadn’t exactly been expecting to find Sammy hugging the toilet when he went to get ready for their show that night.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>72</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Friends make better cuddle buddies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Shout out to J for the feedback and for being a world-class cheerleader.</p><p>Apologies for any wrong words or phrases, I tried to write it as Americanised as I could.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was bound to happen. Honestly, with the amount of stress they’d all been under for so long, it was shocking that one of them hadn’t succumbed sooner. Still, Ben hadn’t exactly been expecting to find Sammy hugging the toilet when he went to get ready for their show that night.</p><p>“Dude, are you ok?” the shorter man asked, rushing to his friend’s side and placing a hand on his forehead, checking for a fever.</p><p>Sammy just grunted and rolled his head into the crook of his arm, trying to hide from Ben.</p><p>“Ok, that’s a no.” Ben crouched down, his hand rubbing circles on his friend’s back, hoping to some how ease his obvious misery.</p><p>“Do you want a hand getting to bed? I know my spare mattress isn’t the best quality but I’m pretty sure it’s at least more comfortable than a tile floor.”</p><p>Ben sighed when no acknowledgment came from the ball of clothes and hair wrapped around the toilet.</p><p>“Right. Let’s get you to bed and we’ll go from there.”</p><p>But getting his co-host off the bathroom tiles was easier said than done. Ben pulled one of Sammy’s arms over his shoulder, wrapping his other arm around the taller main’s waist and counted down.</p><p>“Three, two, one, up we go.” The final words were grunted out when Ben realised Sammy was little more than a dead weight.</p><p>Sammy’s brain slowly caught up with what Ben was trying to achieve, and he attempted to get his feet under him and relieve his friend of some of his weight. The upward momentum they had achieved together was soon brought to a crashing halt as Sammy’s stomach rolled sickeningly and he was sent diving back towards the toilet bowl.</p><p>The pair must have been making more noise than they’d though because Ben suddenly became aware of muttered swearing coming from the living room, barely audible over the sound of Sammy’s heaves. Soon Lily was storming up the hallway.</p><p>“Can you two knuckleheads not even try to be quiet? I need at least a few hours sleep before I go on air at 6. Seriously…”</p><p>Her rant stopped as suddenly as it had started when she reached the bathroom door.</p><p>Sammy, head hanging in the toilet bowl dry heaving and Ben holding his hair back almost left her lost for words. Almost.</p><p>“Haven’t seen you this wretched since that one Spring Break in Mexico, Stevens.”</p><p>Somehow, Sammy mustered the strength to turn his head and glare at Lily.</p><p>“Fuck off.”</p><p>“It speaks! At least we know you’re not dead then.”</p><p>“Lily, you can mock him later,” Ben said, rolling his eyes. “For now, can you please just help me get him back to his room?”</p><p>Lily pushed off the doorframe and turned to head back down the hall.</p><p>“Yeah but let me find a bucket first because if he blows chunks on the way I am not cleaning the floors.”</p><p>With Lily out of the room Ben turned his attention back to Sammy.</p><p>“Spring break?”</p><p>“Really not the time.” The words came out as a muffled groan with Sammy’s face mostly hidden back in the crook of the arm he had slung over the toilet bowl to keep from falling face first into the water.</p><p>“Right, sorry.” After a few beats of silence Ben spoke again. “So, you ready to flush that shit down and try to sit up? It’s kinds starting to smell.”</p><p>Sammy seemed to curl into himself more before nodding and pushing himself back. Ben helped him lean on the side of the bathtub, making sure the older man wasn’t going to tip over, before reaching up to flush the toilet.</p><p>Seeing the Sammy was still more or less upright as he lent against the tub, Ben grabbed a clean washcloth from the cupboard under the sink and wet it before coming back to crouch in front of his friend.</p><p>Sammy’s eyes were closed so he couldn’t see when Ben reached out with the cloth to wipe his face. The older man flinched and reached up to grab the cloth, but Ben intercepted his hand.</p><p>“Just relax for a minute dude and let me take care of you, yeah?”</p><p>Sammy squinted at Ben for a moment, the bathroom lights apparently seeming too bright, before closing his eyes again and letting his arm fall back into his lap.</p><p>Ben finished wiping down the other man’s face before tossing the washcloth into the laundry hamper, right as Lily returned with a fresh t-shirt and a bucket.</p><p>“He looked like he’d sweated through that shirt. I thought we should get him into a fresh one before we roll his ass back into bed.”</p><p>Ben nodded, taking the shirt Lily held out to him, before turning back to face Sammy.</p><p>“Sammy?” Ben tapped Sammy’s face lightly, knowing getting his shirt swapped over would be easier with a little cooperation.  “You wanna give me a hand with your shirt bud? Then we can get you back to your nice, comfy bed.”</p><p>Sammy cracked one eye open, his gaze traveling from Ben’s face to the shirt in his hand before closing his eye with a frown.</p><p>“It’d be easier if you just left me here to die.”</p><p>“Wow, dramatic much? I thought Arnold was meant to be the actor here?” Lily snidely remarked from the door.</p><p>Ben looked over his shoulder, torn between biting back at Lily’s mocking and his concern for Sammy. The doe eye look that ended up on his face caused Lily to roll her eyes before moving into the bathroom and squatting down beside him.</p><p>It was cramped at this point, the small room not meant for three adults, but Lily didn’t seem phased.</p><p>“Come on Stevens, let’s get a move on. Benny-boy needs to get to the station and I need to sleep and we can’t do either if we have to worry about you passing out in the bathroom and drowning in the toilet bowl.”</p><p>As she spoke, the woman took one of Sammy’s wrists and gently guided his arm inside his shirt before doing the same with his other.</p><p>As she grabbed the hem of his shirt and started to bunch it up, Sammy became a little more self-aware and tried to lean forward.</p><p>Ben, more than a little confused at how normal this all seemed for his two housemates, helped lean Sammy away from the tub so Lily could bring his shirt over his head. Sammy shivered when the fabric was gone, allowing cooler air to reach his fevered skin but Lily kept moving, easing the clean shirt over his head and before Ben knew it, Sammy was dressed again, and Lily was starting to ease him off the floor.</p><p>Moving to get under Sammy’s arm on the side Lily didn’t have, Ben helped to lift the taller man off the floor, but not without sneaking a questioning glance at Lily.</p><p>“We lived together for most of college, I’ve seen him at his worst. Although back then it was generally self-inflicted thanks to too much booze. Pretty sure now he’s just sick. Guess that’s what happens when you get old, hey Stevens?”</p><p>A mumble that sounded strangely like ‘still younger than you’ emanated from under the thick curtain if hair hanging limply around Sammy’s head as the three started their shuffle out of the bathroom and down the hall to Sammy’s room.</p><p> It was slow going but soon enough Lily was nudging open the door to Sammy’s room with her hip and she and Ben managed to wrangle the sick man onto his mattress. Ben pulled the duvet down to the end of the bed and took the light sheet under it, pulling it up to cover Sammy. Lily held Sammy on his side with one hand while she placed the bucket on the floor by his bed and reached behind him to prop him up with the spare pillow. At Bens confused look she informed him “it’s so he doesn’t choke on his vomit in his sleep.”</p><p>“Always a charmer, Lil,” Sammy mumbled, his legs curling up and one arm clutching at his stomach, no doubt trying to ease the pain.</p><p>Lily just chuckled and went to leave the room.</p><p>“Yell if you’re dying.”</p><p>Ben seemed stuck between following Lily and staying by Sammy’s side, but his friend and co-host made the decision for him.</p><p>“Sorry you’ll have to go solo tonight.”</p><p>“I think I’m just gona give Chet a call and get him to throw on a best of. I don’t really want to leave you alone dude. You seriously look like shit.”</p><p>“I’ll be fine,” Sammy groaned out. “Lily won’t actually let me die.”</p><p>“If you’re sure man,” Ben still didn’t seem too sure. Sammy may be talking a bit now but less than five minutes ago he’d been all but unresponsive on the bathroom floor.</p><p>“I’m sure. I’m just gona sleep this off.”</p><p>“I’ll check on you after the show, Sammy. Love you, dude.”</p><p>A quiet ‘love you, too’ was all he got as Sammy started to drift back to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>“Well as always, it’s been a pleasure Kings Falls. Hopefully the Sammy and Ben Show will be back at full strength soon but in the meantime, I’ll pass on all your well wishes to Sammy and head home for my nurse duty shift.”</p><p>As Ben hit the outro music and started collecting his gear Lily made her way into the studio, looking just a little less put together than usual.</p><p>“Rough night?” Ben asked with a cheeky smile.</p><p>“Can it, Arnold.” Lily all but collapsed into her chair, dragging her hands across her face. “I got about another hour of sleep before Sammy started blowing chunks again. I’ve been up since then.”</p><p>“And you left him alone? Is he ok? Do I need to take him to the hospital? What were you - ”</p><p>“Hush up, short stack. Big bro is fine. Emily texted when she got off the phone with you during the show and offered to sit with him when I left. As for taking him to the hospital, I don’t think so. Stevens will be fine. It’s probably just a stomach bug. Now I have a show to do so get out of my studio.”</p><p>Ben wanted to rant back but he wanted to check on Sammy more. The producer turned host grabbed his gear and left the studio, stashing everything on his desk before heading out the door. As he made his way down the mountain he called Emily.</p><p>“Hey Benny, you headed home?” Emily answered in a whisper. Ben could hear her walking and the sound of a door swinging closed.</p><p>“Hey Em, yeah all done. Lily told me you were with Sammy. Thank you so much.”</p><p>Ben could hear her smile in her reply. “You don’t have to thank me Ben, Sammy is my family too, I want to help.”</p><p>“Well still, thank you.” Ben couldn’t believe how wonderful this woman was.</p><p>“How’s he going anyway?”</p><p>“He settled down about half an hour ago. I’m a little worried about his fever though, I’m pretty sure it’s getting higher but I can’t find your thermometer to check.”</p><p>Ben was quiet for a moment before responding bashfully, “Thermometers are something adults should own, right?”</p><p>“Yeah, kinda,” Emily giggled lightly. “But that’s ok. When you get home, I’ll duck out for supplies. I can pick one up then.”</p><p>“Do you know what you need? I can stop at the pharmacy on my way then we don’t have to go out again.”</p><p>“Ah yeah, I’ll text you a list. Thanks Benny.”</p><p>“No worries, I’ll see you soon, love you.”</p><p>“Love you too.”</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Ben made it through the front door, shopping bag under one arm and two coffees balanced in the same hand, he expected to find Emily in the lounge room. Maybe reading a book or watching tv quietly while Sammy slept down the hall. But there was no one there. He put the bag and coffees on the table, alongside his keys, and headed down the hallway.</p><p>He checked his room first, thinking Emily might have decided to take a nap while she waited for him but she wasn’t there. The bathroom door was open and the room empty so that only left Sammy’s room.</p><p>The door was open and Ben could see the light from the novelty Kingsie lamp Ron had given Sammy for Christmas last year glowing softly. As he walked through the door, he found Emily perched on the edge of Sammy’s bed, rewetting a washcloth in a bowl perched on the bedside table before putting it back on Sammy’s forehead.</p><p>Having heard Ben come up the hallway, Emily stood to face him, putting her finger to her lip to signal him to be quiet, before moving past him out the door and back to the living room.</p><p>“He was getting a little restless again, I think it’s the fever.” Emily moved straight to the pharmacy bag on the table as she spoke to Ben. “But he hasn’t thrown up in a little while now so that’s good.”</p><p>“Do I need to call a doctor? Lily wouldn’t tell me much. Maybe I should call mom, she’d know what to do.”</p><p>Emily cut off his stressed rambling by wrapping her arms around him. “Sammy will be fine. It’s just a bug. Once we get some meds into him to help with the fever and get him to hold down some liquids, he will be ok.”</p><p>“I don’t know how to look after a sick person, Emily.”</p><p>“Well it’s a good thing I’m here to teach you. Go get a glass of water so I can mix up some hydrolyte and we’ll take Sammy his meds.”</p><p>When they got back to Sammy’s room he was still asleep, but the frown on his face told Ben it wasn’t a restful sleep.</p><p>“Sammy, buddy, you want to wake up?” Ben shook his housemate gently by the shoulder and kept his hand there as the older man started to wake.</p><p>“Ben? Is it time for work?” The confusion from Sammy scared Ben slightly but Emily stepped in before his panic could take over.</p><p>“The show’s over for tonight Sammy, you had a sick day, remember? Ben brought home some meds to help you feel better.” As she spoke, the librarian moved forward and held out her hand with the little white pills. “Do you think you can sit up and take these? They’ll help with your fever and that headache I’m pretty sure you’ve got.”</p><p>Sammy didn’t bother responding and just started trying to push himself up. Unfortunately, the hours of fever and vomiting had left him feeling shaking and struggling to hold his own weight. But he didn’t have to struggle for long. Ben crawled on to the bed to help Sammy up, wedging himself in behind the taller man and letting Sammy lean his back onto Ben’s chest. Sammy sank further into the hold as Ben wrapped his arms around him, trying to offer comfort while also helping him sit up.</p><p>Emily smiled gently as she held the pills out for Sammy to take, passing him the glass of hydrolyte to wash them down. Sammy took a mouthful of the sweet liquid, grimacing slightly before passing the glass back to Emily.</p><p>“I’ll leave this here,” she said, placing it on the bedside table. “You need hydration so if you can drink more of it later that would be good.”</p><p>Sammy nodded slightly but his eyes were already falling shut so she wasn’t sure how much he’d actually heard. Ben went to help ease Sammy back onto his mattress but froze when he went to move away. Sammy had whined. That was the only word for it. When Ben moved away Sammy had let out a quiet but, frankly miserable sounding, whine. Still frozen in place, Ben turned wide eyes to Emily, looking for direction.</p><p>Hiding a giggle behind her hand Emily said “Lily did mention before she left that Sammy was always a snuggler when he was sick. Maybe he still is.”</p><p>“What do I do?”</p><p>“Well, it is your bedtime, why don’t you just crash here? You need sleep and Sammy will probably sleep better with you here. I’ll come wake you both up in a few hours to check his fever and bring you something to eat.”</p><p>Ben didn’t hesitate to kick off his shoes and lay down, pulling Sammy close. The taller man seemed to try and curl in closer to Ben, cementing the younger man’s knowledge that he was doing the right thing. He’d do anything for his best friend and if that meant offering a cuddle buddy when he’s sick then that was fine by him.</p><p>Emily pulled the sheet up from where it had bunched at the bottom of the bed to tuck both boys in, leaning close to give them each a kiss of the forehead. “Sleep well.”</p><p>“Love you, Emily.”</p><p>Ben was asleep before his girlfriend was even out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Ben woke again there was light filtering in from behind the closed curtains. He made a mental note to get a new set of blackout curtains for Sammy’s room. Their jobs meant they were usually sleeping through a good chunk of daylight hours and his friend couldn’t get proper rest in a sunlight filled room.</p><p>As he lay there a moment longer Ben became aware of voices coming from the kitchen, closely followed by the smell of breakfast food and then the rumbling of his stomach. He sat up slightly, careful to not disturb Sammy, who finally seemed to be resting peacefully, and eased his way out of bed.</p><p>Emily was setting the table when he emerged into the living area. He walked straight over and wrapped her into a hug, the quiet moment was ruined by a gagging sound from further in the kitchen.</p><p>Ben shot a glare over to the origin of the mocking; Lily was standing at the stove flipping a pancake. Emily just put her hand on the side of Ben’s face a moved it back to face her so she could have a good morning kiss.</p><p>“If you two are quite done, can I ask if Stevens is still breathing?”</p><p>“Yes, Lily, Sammy is still alive.” Emily was surprised Ben’s eyes didn’t roll right out of his head as he replied to Lily’s snide question.</p><p>“Why don’t you go wash up, Benny. We’ll have some breakfast then we can wake Sammy up and see if he’s hungry.”</p><p>Ben’s anger melted away and he gave the little librarian a doe-eyed nod. By the time he returned to the kitchen freshly showered and in comfy sweats and t-shirt the table had been set with eggs, bacon and pancakes for breakfast. It was only then that Ben realised it was almost 11am.</p><p>“You know I’m a strong believer that breakfast food is anytime food but what are you two daylighters doing eating breakfast at the hour?” he asked as he piled food onto his plate.</p><p>“Lily didn’t have time for a proper breakfast before work and I fell asleep not long after you and Sammy this morning,” Emily explained. “So when I heard Lily get home it just seemed like the right time for breakfast.”</p><p>They ate more or less in silence after that, all three friends more tired than usual after their disrupted night.</p><p>“What do you think made him sick?” Ben asked after a while.</p><p>“Probably just worn down,” Lily replied through a mouthful of pancakes. “None of us have really had a ‘healthy’ routine lately if we’re being honest.”</p><p>“You’re probably right,” Emily agreed. “Stress can wear you down and we have definitely been stressed lately, Sammy probably more than all of us.”</p><p>Soon enough the food was gone, and the table was cleared. Emily said her goodbyes and headed out to work, having only been able to get someone to cover the morning shift at the library. When Ben finished with the dishes, he headed down the hall to check on Sammy but found someone had beat him there.</p><p>Lily was sitting on the edge of the bed talking to a groggy Sammy.</p><p>“Plain crackers and blue Powerade. I know this isn’t a hangover, but I figure same-same with the symptoms and these always helped back then so…”</p><p>Ben hung back in the doorway and watched as Sammy slowly edged his way into something that resembled a sitting position. Lily handed him two more of the pills Emily had given Sammy earlier and passed over the Powerade so he could wash them down. When she went to hand him one of the crackers however, the bedridden man shook his head.</p><p>“I’m not ready to throw anything up again Lil. And if I eat I know I will.”</p><p>“Look Stevens, I know it sucks but I’m not going to play nurse forever. Just try one then I’ll leave you alone.”</p><p>Feeling like an intruder but too intrigued to leave, Ben watched and Sammy seemed to fold in on himself slightly before relenting and taking the cracker from Lily. As he slowly finished the first Lily had a second ready which, to Ben’s surprised, the older man took without prompting. Two seemed to be him limit however and he shook his head when she held out a third.</p><p>Ben was ready to jump in then, expecting Lily to try force it on Sammy or get cranky. Instead the cantankerous journalist just put the cracker back in its packet and handed over the Powerade bottle again.</p><p>“Do you want to stay here and sleep or do you want to come sit in the lounge room with us? We can put a movie on.”</p><p>“I don’t feel like sleeping.” Sammy certainly <em>looked</em> like he felt like sleeping in Ben’s opinion. Before he could say so, Lily was helping Sammy sit all the way up in bed. Ben moved into the room on auto pilot.</p><p>“Do you need a hand?”</p><p>Sammy started slightly, not having noticed Ben standing there until right then.</p><p>“You get mountain man here into the living room, I’m going to put on a fresh pot of coffee. You know, to replace all the sleep I didn’t get.” And just like that the soft, caring Lily was hidden away again. But Ben had seen her, and this was definitely something he’d be quizzing Sammy on. When the man didn’t look like he was going to faceplant on the floor, that is.</p><p>Ben hovered at Sammy’s side, keeping a hand out to catch him if he fell like parents do when babies first start walking. Sammy wanted to tell Ben he could leave him be, but it was nice, having his best friend right there when he felt so miserable. It took a little longer than he was frankly proud of but soon enough Sammy was on his feet and shuffling down the hallway.</p><p>His momentum stopped when he got to the bathroom door. After a moment’s pause, Sammy turned into the bathroom instead of continuing down the hall.</p><p>Ben started to follow him into the room but was stopped when Sammy started to close the door.</p><p>“I may look like death buddy, but I’m pretty sure I can pee on my own.” Sammy’s tired half smile almost had Ben disagreeing before he realised that probably was taking things one step too far.</p><p>“Ok buddy, you answer nature’s call and I’ll get Disney+ queued up.”</p><p>The sight of Lily piling pillows and duvets onto the couch was not what Ben thought he’d find when he reached the lounge room.</p><p>“Is that mine?” was all he could think to ask, pointing at the dark blue bed cover contributing to the nest.</p><p>“Sure is short stack. Sammy is like a cat when he’s sick. He likes to huddle up in a nest. Try not to let him wrap himself up too much, don’t want him to overheat any more when his fever is only starting to go down. But he’ll feel better if he feels snuggled. Speaking of snuggled, you make a damn good replacement for a teddy bear, Arnold. Not what I’d expected to see when I got home.”</p><p>Ben started to flap about, wanting to give a snarky come back but not being able to come up with one. Because Lily’s words didn’t really offend him. He wasn’t embarrassed to be caught cuddled up with his best friend. If the man needed Ben to be a pseudo teddy bear, then so be it.</p><p>“Quit your flapping and get comfy Arnold,” Lily said as she gave him a shove towards the couch. “We can’t wrap Sammy up in the blanket nest, but we can let him snuggle and he’s more likely to do that if there’s already limited space on the couch.” She ducked out to the kitchen and came back with two sodas, a bag of crisps for her and a bag of M&amp;Ms she threw at Ben. As Ben heard the bathroom door open, he noticed Lily had also grabbed the plain crackers from earlier and a fresh, cold bottle of blue Powerade.</p><p>Before he could verbalise any confusion, Ben had a soda can and the M&amp;Ms in his lap and Lily was getting settled on the other end of the couch.</p><p>When Sammy finally made it to the lounge room, the only seating options left were the middle of the pillow, duvet and housemate filled couch or the floor. The second option was dismissed as soon as he thought it, with the way he felt if he made is safely to the floor, he’d never be able to get up again. And the cushions and extra padding on the couch did look really comfy…</p><p>By the time Aladdin and Jasmine were blasting out the notes to A Whole New World, Sammy had curled up in the duvet nest with his head on Ben’s shoulder and his feet in Lily’s lap.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>The three became more entangled throughout the day until they were one big ball of limbs. When Emily came in around six with bags of Chinese food Sammy was hugging Lily’s foot while he was curled up on Ben’s chest and Ben’s foot had ended up on top of Lily’s head. The two not ill individuals woke with a start at her laugh and almost fell off the couch, their quick remembrance that Sammy was between them the only thing that kept them up on the furniture.</p><p>“You all look well rested. Ready for some food?”</p><p>The sound of Ben’s stomach rumbling was what finally woke Sammy. After a moment of confusion, he stiffened and tried to push off Ben’s chest, embarrassed to be caught in such a position. But Ben had other ideas. He hugged his best friend tighter for just a moment, trying to give Sammy a silent promise that he was welcome to stay right where he was. It worked, because the taller man melted back into Ben’s chest, wild hair hiding his face from the others in the room.</p><p>“Do you think we can eat out here Em? I don’t think Sammy is ready to move yet.”</p><p>“If Stevens is going to keep Arnold here on the couch, I guess I’ll just have to help you in the kitchen.” The innocents of Lily’s words were ruined by her suggestive tone and the waggle of her eyebrows. Although not completely paying attention, the tone and Ben’s disgruntled sound weren’t missed by Sammy who grabbed a tighter hold of Lily’s ankle right as she tried to get up, causing her to fall off the couch instead of climb gracefully out of their pile.</p><p>Emily and Lily got all the food sorted and brought back to the loungeroom where Sammy and Ben had rearranged themselves into a more upright position. Emily offered Sammy food, but he turned it down in favour of more crackers and Powerade, still not ready to risk his stomach.</p><p>An hour later the food was gone, and Sammy was almost asleep on Ben’s shoulder. Lily reached up from her spot on the floor and shook his knee.</p><p>“Don’t fall asleep there Stevens. Just grab your Benny bear and head to bed. You’ll feel much better.”</p><p>Sammy barely heard Ben’s flustered response as he dragged himself off the couch and off to bed. He also barely noticed as Ben crawled into bed next to him soon after, but that didn’t stop him from cuddling his best friend like the teddy bear Lily had compared him to.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Ben felt like he’d barely closed his eyes when someone started shaking his shoulder.</p><p>“It’s 1.30 Ben, if you don’t get up now you’re going to be late.”</p><p>Dammit. Why did Lily have to be right? When he curled closer to Sammy instead of getting up Lily shook his shoulder again.</p><p>“Up Arnold. This is your last warning or I’m dumping a glass of water on your head.” She wasn’t kidding, he knew that. With a groan, Ben started to unwind himself from Sammy but paused when the other man let out a sad whimper like the night before.</p><p>“Don’t even start with the puppy dog eyes Arnold, up you get. You’ve got a show to do. I’ll take Sammy duty until I have to head in. He’ll only be along for an hour, max, between our shows and I promise.”</p><p>Ben groaned again trying not to feel too bad when Sammy reached out to him in his sleep.</p><p>Almost as soon as Ben was off the bed, Lily had taken his place and Sammy was curling into her side. Ben wanted to make a snarky remark about the tinman having a heart but Lily’s glare and Sammy’s relaxed expression made him stop. Instead he just tucked them in, just as Emily had done the night before, kissed Sammy on the forehead and avoided Lily’s hand as she swatted him away from trying to do the same to her.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Later that morning, Sammy woke up when Lily extracted herself to get ready for work and stayed awake long enough to greet Ben when he got home. Normally after their show, Sammy and Ben would be up for a few hours. Having breakfast, running errands and doing research before catching a few hours’ sleep to get ready for the next late-night gig. This morning however, both were too tired to do much beyond eating (too sugary cereal for Ben because Sammy couldn’t make overnight oats when he was sick and a couple of plain crackers and more blue Powerade for Sammy) and crawling back into bed. Sammy’s sickness and Ben’s broken sleep combined with the general stress that was their lives had finally caught up with them.</p><p>So they’d both slept until Lily came home and Emily stopped by for an early lunch, wanting to check in on her favourite radio hosts.</p><p>“I brought some soup for you Sammy,” Emily said as she put down Rose’s Diner bags on the coffee table. “Rose sends her love and said this was a secret family recipe, guaranteed to cure almost any illness.”</p><p>“Did Rose send anything special for sickly Sammy’s nurse maids?” Lily asked as she dived into the first bag.</p><p>“There’s an extra serve of pancake puppies in there somewhere.” Emily revealed with a smile. “She thought we could all do with a pick me up.”</p><p>The three healthy dream team members chowed down on the burgers and fries (and pancake puppies) while Sammy tentatively sipped at the soup. It wasn’t that he was mistrustful of Rose’s cooking. It was his own stomach he didn’t trust. But after the first few sips of soup sat warm and comforting (just like one of Ben’s hugs) in his stomach and didn’t make an attempt to reappear, Sammy slowly kept sipping until almost half of the soup was gone.</p><p>With his belly full and his brain marginally more awake, Sammy became aware of the fact that he hadn’t showered or even brushed his hair since falling sick. Slowly, he unfolded his limbs from the couch where he had somehow become tangled with Ben and Emily during the course of the meal and went to stand.</p><p>“You ok there Sammy,” Ben asked, full attention on his best friend. “Is that soup sitting ok?”</p><p>“I’m good Ben, thanks. I just really need a shower. And to do something with my hair.”</p><p>“I’m glad you finally realised,” Lily said, not looking up from the bad she was digging through for the last pancake puppy. “I was starting to get worried Herschel might mistake you for bigfoot next time he sees you and fill your ass with buckshot.”</p><p>Sammy mustered up enough energy to flip her off while he shuffled off to the bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>Out of the shower and dressed in clean sweats, Sammy actually felt human. Lily, Ben and Emily were all still in the loungeroom, Rose’s bags gone and Pocahontas about 20 minutes in. He started to ease himself onto the floor, the other three taking up the couch, only to have Emily grab is arm.</p><p>“It’s not a proper cuddle pile if you’re on the floor Sammy.” The librarian shifted to sit on Ben’s lap and Lily opened her arms, inviting Sammy to lean on her. Once he was situated, Emily pulled his feet into her lap and started to rub his ankles. How she knew his joints were aching, he didn’t know, but he wasn’t about to ask her to stop.</p><p>The end credits of the movie were rolling when Ben noticed the jaw-cracking yawn come from his best friend and picked up the remote to turn off the TV.</p><p>“I think it’s time for Sammy to take a nap,” Ben sounded a little like he was talking to a child, but Sammy didn’t mind. He knew his friend wasn’t mocking him, just trying to show he cared. The girls help them get untangled and off the couch before Ben led Sammy out of the room.</p><p>When Sammy stumbled into bed, he was happy in the knowledge that his best friend didn’t mind helping him when he was sick. When Ben climbed into bed too, he knew his best friend loved him unconditionally. Ben would always be there when Sammy needed him.</p><p> </p><p>*****</p><p> </p><p>When Sammy woke up later that day, he was glad to find he was finally feeling human. Another day to rest would not be a bad thing, but at least he didn’t feel like death warmed up. The happy thoughts ended there however when the distinct sound of someone throwing up came from down the hall. </p><p>Sammy rolled out of bed at the same time as Lily’s declaration of ‘for fuck’s sake’ could be heard from the living area. He wandered down the hall and came to a stop at the bathroom where he found Ben, curled around the toilet looking wretched. As Sammy knelt beside Ben, putting a comforting hand on his back, Lily appeared in the doorway.</p><p>“I’ll call Chet, we’ll split your show tonight. And I’ll let Emily know you need a hand. I’m sure she’d love to come play doctor for Benny boy. But man, I need some sleep so I’m going to Katie’s. I’ll come by after my show tomorrow to make sure you’re all still alive.”</p><p>It was going to be a long night, but Sammy didn’t mind. Because Ben was his best friend and he loved him.</p>
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